8 tips for securing your home while you’re on holiday

1. Cancel usual deliveries and services

Don’t forget to cancel your newspaper or grocery delivery and tell the gardener you won’t be needing his services for a while. If you’re away for an extended period of time you might also want to have the post office hold your mail.

2. Talk to your trusted neighbours

Ask them nicely to take out your rubbish bins, bring in your mail or feed your pets (if they’re not going to a pet holiday villa themselves). Let them know where you’ll be and when you’ll be home so they can contact you if anything were to happen to your property. And maybe give them a little something for their trouble.

3. Batten down the hatches

Ensure the back and side gate are locked. Obviously make sure all doors and windows are locked as well. Set your alarm if you have one, or consider getting a dummy alarm – they come with stickers for windows to ensure high visibility to ‘visitors’. Bring your spare set of keys inside or take them with you. Set sensor lights. Remove ladders and gardening tools – anything that might assist a burglar breaking into your home. Take valuables with you if possible, or lock them in a bolted down safety box.

4. Look as if you’re home

Have some lights on timer switches so they autmatically come on for a period in the evenings. Even put one on the TV so there’s some noise and light. Leave a car in the driveway if possible. Have a friend mow your lawn and even housesit for the odd night. Hang some washing on the line – it looks like you’re still home.

5. Stop work on your property by outside tradespeople

Where possible, don’t go away whilst you’re building/renovating. However, if you must, just tell the tradies work has to stop for a while – don’t tell them you’re going away. It’s more common than you think to have your house burgled by your very own tradie.

6. Be mindful of broadcasting your holiday plans

With the age of social networking firmly upon us, it’s all too easy to forget that whilst we believe we’re connecting only with friends and trusted souls, much of what we say is public, searchable, and ripe for people to take advantage of. Don’t tell everyone on Facebook that you’re going on holidays in two days time, and don’t tweet about it either. If your home is unattended while you’re away, save the updates and photos for after you’re back.

7. Don’t forget your answering machine!

A continuously ringing phone is a sure sign to a burglar that no one is home. Make sure your answering machine is set. You can also look into having messages or calls redirected so you can access them while away, just in case.

8. Update your insurance

Long before you head off, make sure your home and contents insurance is up to date and you have a copy of the policy details easy to hand. The last thing you want is to have a break in and find you’ve let the insurance slip because you missed the last payment. Sort it before you leave.

Introduction

The National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS or the Scheme) is a long term commitment by the Australian Government in partnership with the States and Territories, to invest in affordable rental housing.

The Scheme commenced in 2008 and seeks to address the shortage of affordable rental housing by offering financial incentives to persons or entities such as the business sector and community organisations to build and rent dwellings to low and moderate income households at a rate that is at least 20 per cent below the market value rent.

However on the other side, the NRAS provides an annual incentive to investors (either persons or other entities, like financial institutions, medium to large-scale investors, private developers, not-for-profit organisations and community housing providers) to build and rent new dwellings to low and moderate income households. The incentive is available to approved participants.

The annual incentives last for ten years (indexed annually for the rental component of CPI) and are made up of two parts:

1. A Commonwealth Government Incentive of $7,846 per dwelling per year as a refundable tax offset or payment

Buying your first property can be intimidating stuff. You’ve got to save that big deposit, find a lender you trust who’ll give you a good deal, learn the lingo and compete against other people who might have their eye on your dream home.

But it can be even tougher when you add on extra costs like stamp duty and loan fees.

The team at finder.com.au have crunched some numbers and worked out that with only a 5% deposit, purchasing an established home at the median dwelling price, the upfront cost could be double the size of the deposit.

With a national median dwelling price of $484,563, for an established home where stamp duty concessions are exempt, it would cost first home buyers $24,228 for a 5% deposit plus another $22,000 to $50,000 for stamp duty and lenders mortgage insurance, depending on the state – plus possible home loan fees.

The most expensive capital city for first home buyers to save in is Sydney, followed by Melbourne, then Canberra.

It’s better news if you’re in Hobart or Adelaide.

Waratah Estate Agents are Blacktown Real Estate Agents that focus in Western Sydney Real Estate. If you’re looking to sell your home, buy a home you can trust us in bringing you a great deal around the Western Sydney Region. To find out more about us visit our website

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Waratah Estate Agents with a consortium of experienced team is a professionally managed real estate company specialized in innovative marketing plans for all areas of Real Estate. Our creative team will work to ensure that the look and feel of your property will generate the highest level of activity. Our team can also assist you on the market conditions and the value of your investments, so that you can make an educated move. Your decision to sell your property may not coincide with the perfect market and therefore it is important to know what the market conditions are. The economy is moving beyond the recession but the real estate market still confronts a challenging environment.

We understand the value of our repeat clients, who confidently continue to sell and purchase through us. Our clients count on our excellent service and efficient result, when they refer us to their family and friends. This is how we have carved out a niche in the market to provide professional services to our valuable clients. Our achievement is reflected in the fact that over 85% of our business is referred to us by our satisfied clients.

We assist our clients in buying, investing, selling, renting or managing any kind of residential, commercial, industrial, and warehouse properties irrespective of our clients’ location (globally). Whether the project is individual requirement or corporate requirement, our team is committed to join hands.

Services offered to our Sellers
Help you establish a fair price for your Property
Create and plan point of sale program
Advertise and market the property for you
Organise and commence open inspection for your property
Offer to refer sources for insurance, legal counsel and finance
Help negotiate with prospective buyers
Help to prepare and maintain the property for viewing for buyers

Services offered to our Buyers
Exercise reasonable skill and care for buyers
Assess buyers selection criteria
Locate suitable properties for buyers in accordance with their criteria
Assist buyers in evaluating property in order to select their desired property
Present and negotiate offers or counter-offers
Assist in obtaining finance
Assist buyers in obtaining copies of the contract, floor plan and other specifications if required